


Serendipity

by dancing_satyr



Series: The Serendipity Series [1]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: First Time, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-19 11:28:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4744622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancing_satyr/pseuds/dancing_satyr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thomas goes out in search of a companion for the evening, but the night takes an unexpected turn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Chance Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Although I'm a big Thomas/Jimmy fan and have written a fic for that ship, I have also fallen in love with Thomas/Andy (please let them be canon in series 6!) and really wanted to have a go at writing them. This work is basically complete and I only have to finish the short epilogue, which will be the third chapter. I've done some cursory research for this fic, but I confess to not being overly familiar with the layout of London or London's gay culture in the 1920s. So, if anyone finds any glaring errors, please let me know so I can fix them! Lastly, I have Thomas serving as Robert's valet, since Bates' position was still up in the air at the end of series 5. Hope you enjoy!

Thomas emitted a perfunctory sigh as he sank down into one of the hard wooden chairs lining the servants’ dining table. Although he missed his usual position in the rocking chair in front of the fireplace at Downton, he was nevertheless quite content to make do with a cup of tea, a cigarette, and the newspaper.

The Crawleys had come to stay in the London house for part of the Season. They had only been there for a short while, but Thomas was already nearing his wits’ end. He was still acting as Lord Grantham’s valet in addition to his usual duties; such a juggling act was usually manageable, but the family had been entertaining almost constantly in the past fortnight and Thomas felt himself slipping. He must have looked positively exhausted as he had dressed Lord Grantham earlier in the evening for a ball, as the man had guiltily told him to take the remainder of the night to rest. The family would be returning very late anyway and he could stand to undress himself for once, he had said.

The house was now blissfully quiet and most of the servants had gone out on the town to enjoy a night off. Much to his chagrin, Thomas had felt a pang of envy as he watched Molesley and Baxter leave for the pictures, shooting each other sickeningly besotted looks. After the nightmare that had been “Choose Your Own Path,” Thomas had accepted the fact that such a normal romantic outing would never be a reality for him, but his longing for intimacy had only intensified. It was difficult to feel happy for the couple when his own happiness seemed so far out of reach.

His glum train of thought was interrupted when Andy strode into the hall, adjusting his tie and smoothing his lapels as he went. Upon spotting Thomas, however, his face lit up and he paused near the door. Even though they had been working together for some months now, Thomas still marveled at the ease with which Andy always smiled at him; there was never any judgment or trepidation in his expression, only warm, friendly recognition. Thomas wondered when he had started to look forward to Andy’s smiles every day. 

“Good evening, Mr. Barrow. I thought you’d want to get out of the house tonight, what with all the extra work you’ve been doing lately.”

“No, not me. Been a long day, I think I’ll turn in early. Where are you off to, then?”

“Meeting up with some old mates for a pint.”

“As long as there’s no gambling involved, I reckon you’ll have a nice time.”

Andy laughed, shuffling his feet. “Right you are, Mr. Barrow. Make sure to get some rest and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Have a good night and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“You’re saying the sky’s the limit, then,” said Andy with a cheeky grin as he left.

Thomas realized with some disquiet that he was growing fonder of Andy the more time they spent together. With Jimmy, Thomas had become immediately infatuated; he had allowed his desire to cloud his faculties, leading him to rashly abandon all caution and rational thought. Andy, on the other hand, made Thomas feel remarkably clearheaded, as though his mere presence made everything somehow simpler and brighter. Thomas could not deny that he found Andy’s quirky good looks and youthful optimism endearing, but he had been burned too many times to let himself hope for anything beyond friendship. 

Despite his apprehension over seeking out male companionship, especially following The Incident with Jimmy, Thomas knew that he could not impose on himself a life of celibacy and isolation. Such an existence would surely break him. It had already been far too long since he had last been with a man, years even.

And as he sat there, his tea cold and cigarette extinguished, he became so acutely aware of his own loneliness that it threatened to suffocate him. He was seized by a sudden need for physical contact, to have someone’s warm, bare skin pressed against his, to feel someone else’s arousal. Once the notion had made itself comfortably at home in Thomas’s mind, there was no shaking it. But did he dare?

He left his newspaper forgotten on the table, hurried to his room and closed the door. He paced for a while in an attempt to reason with himself, but he knew that he had already made up his mind. His weariness had been replaced with restlessness and his skin tingled with anticipation. He undressed quickly and clambered into his street clothes. Sparing only a minute to comb his hair and dab on some cologne, he donned his hat and coat and made his way out into the night. 

Some of Thomas’s agitation left him as he emerged from St. James’s Square and began his short walk to Piccadilly Circus. The air was relatively warm and balmy for early May and the light breeze soothed his heated skin. Although few of the passersby spared him the briefest of looks, he felt unsettled each time he felt eyes on his person, as though they sensed the purpose of his evening excursion. He pulled his hat further down over his brow and took on a more rapid pace.

Thomas didn’t much fancy wandering down every shadowy side street in the Dilly in pursuit of an establishment that catered to his tastes. He recalled a popular but discreet club he had once visited in the early postwar years; in fact, it was located off of Shaftesbury Avenue, not far from the Velvet Violin where he had accompanied Andy and Miss Denker. Due to the ever changing nature of such illicit meeting places, there was more than a decent chance it was no longer there, but Thomas decided to try his luck.

Much to his pleasant surprise, Thomas ascended an unobtrusive narrow staircase and found the place just as he’d left it, an unremarkable hole in the wall sporting a reassuring “Men Only” sign on the door. He was still not completely convinced that the club had maintained the same character over the years until he stepped inside and surveyed the clientele. The lighting was soft and dim and he observed a number of couples sat in intimate conversation, knees touching and hands held.

Now that he was certain he had come to the right place, he approached the bar. After he received his pint of bitter from the barman, he turned to scan the room for someone he might strike up a flirtation with. But as he looked along the bar, he saw something that made his heart leap into his throat.

Of all the people to cross paths with that night, there was Andy, stood not ten feet away. The young man seemed oblivious to Thomas’s presence as he sipped his beer and chatted with a bloke at the counter. 

As his initial shock abated, Thomas had to wonder if Andy even comprehended the exact nature of the club he was in. While Andy might have been naive in some respects, the overtly suggestive body language of the patrons could not have escaped his notice. But if Andy knew what kind of club this was and had chosen to come here, then that could only mean…

Thomas was so overcome by this revelation he seemed to have lost the ability to move. He was transfixed by the sight of Andy in such an improbable setting; he snapped his jaw shut once he realized he’d been standing there gaping for half a minute. He was very close to the exit, but if he made to leave now he risked drawing Andy’s attention. 

When he dragged his gaze back over to Andy, Thomas observed some discomfort in his demeanor. As he kept watching, the source of Andy’s distress seemed to be the man who had taken an interest in him at the bar. The man, tall and weedy with a pencil mustache to frame his lecherous grin, had leaned in very close to Andy, effectively pinning him to the counter. The part that bothered Thomas the most was the way the man had curled his hand possessively around Andy’s bicep and did not remove it. So much for an inconspicuous exit.

Thomas was rewarded for only the briefest of seconds with the comical widening of Andy’s eyes once they alighted on him drawing near. Without missing a beat, Thomas swooped in and slung his arm across Andy’s shoulders.

“So sorry I’m late, darling. I’m afraid I had some trouble finding the place. Are you going to introduce me to your friend?” said Thomas breezily with the widest fake grin he could manage. He squeezed Andy’s shoulder in the hopes he would take it as a signal to play along.

“Uh - um, that’s alright… darling,” stammered Andy, clearly flummoxed by this sudden turn of events. “This gentleman calls himself Mr. Smith.”

“Ah, pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Smith,” said Thomas with a sneer, his tone taking on a flinty edge. “But you can bugger off now. He’s already spoken for.”

Mr. Smith looked as though Thomas had just slapped him. He opened his mouth to retort, but thought better of it and stalked off to the other side of the room.

“I shouldn’t have been so blunt, but I figured he wouldn’t want to put up a fuss and draw attention,” Thomas said to his friend, who now looked fit to pass out.

“Oh God, I’m such a fool. What was I thinking, coming here?” said Andy, panic blooming in his voice. “Please, Mr. Barrow, you won’t say nothing, will you? I’ll do anything, please just don’t tell anyone…”

“Andy, calm down. You’ll not have any trouble from me, I promise,” said Thomas softly, laying a placating hand on Andy’s arm. “I think you’re forgetting that I’d be implicating myself as well. After all, we both came here for the same reason, if I’m not somehow mistaken.”

Thomas paused to let his words sink in and was not let down when he saw understanding in Andy’s eyes. 

“So you really did come here by yourself? Without knowing I was here?” said Andy.

“Trust me, I’m as surprised as you are. When I first spotted you, I was going to leave, but then I saw you weren’t very receptive to Mr. Smith’s advances.”

“Thanks for getting rid of him. I didn’t know what to do,” said Andy as he leant heavily against the counter. “I’m feeling a bit lightheaded.”

“I’m sorry for giving you a fright. Let’s go sit down, yeah?” said Thomas. 

He took Andy by the elbow and led him to a secluded rounded booth in the corner. They sat side by side in silence for a time, both downing their beers faster than was strictly necessary. Thomas considered this to be one of the stranger situations he had ever found himself in. However unnerved he was, he resolved to pull himself together for Andy’s sake.

“What are the odds, eh?” Thomas said to Andy with what he hoped was a comforting expression. He reached into his breast pocket for his cigarette case and lighter.

Andy let out a shaky laugh. “I thought this would be the last place I’d run in to someone I knew. Do you think I can have one of those?”

“Certainly,” said Thomas, proffering his case. Andy chose one and slid closer for Thomas to light it. Their hands brushed together and Andy coughed a couple of times on the exhale.

“So, this is your first time.” Thomas gestured towards the room at large and took a deep, satisfying drag on his cigarette.

“I’m such a bloody fool,” Andy repeated. “I didn’t even think it through past getting in the door. I daresay my inexperience was fairly obvious.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” said Thomas. “It’s a difficult world to navigate and I think you were very brave to come here. How’d you find this place, anyway?”

“Miss Denker, if you can believe it,” said Andy with an embarrassed laugh as Thomas raised his eyebrows. “She showed me around the area before we went to that club the first night. We passed by this place and she told me I ought to avoid it unless I wanted a good buggering.”

“She doesn’t mince words, does she?” said Thomas, shaking his head.

“That’s not to say that I do want a good buggering… or want to give someone else… oh, bollocks!” Andy broke off, flustered. What little of Andy’s face Thomas could see behind his large hands was bright red.

“It’s alright, Andy, I understand your meaning,” said Thomas, unable to withhold a chuckle at Andy’s mortification. “But why did you come here, truly? Why tonight?”

Andy took his hands away from his face, sighing. As his coloring returned to normal, his expression became pensive. He circled a long finger around the rim of his empty pint glass. 

“At the beginning of the week, I was out running errands and I ran into one of the blokes I used to work with. We were good mates, and I quite fancied him, to be honest. Told me he’s getting married this summer.” 

Thomas took one last drag before stubbing out his cigarette. He turned to give Andy his full attention, noting that the young man’s expression had adopted a kind of vulnerability. He waited patiently for Andy to continue; Thomas realized that it couldn’t be easy for him to speak of such things.

“Only it got me thinking, you know? Friends I grew up with are getting married and I’ve never tried being with anyone. Always knew I was different from the other lads, since I wasn’t exactly interested in inviting one of the maids out behind the house for a snog. Once I owned up to myself about fancying blokes, I was too scared of getting arrested to try anything.”

By this point, tears had begun to form in Andy’s eyes. He hastily swiped at them as though alarmed to find them there. Thomas reached for his handkerchief and gave it to Andy, who took it without comment.

“I can accept not getting married and having a family,” said Andy, drying his eyes, “but I can’t accept being alone all my life. I thought maybe if I could pretend for one night… Never mind, I know that sounds silly…”

“That’s not silly at all,” said Thomas, now making an effort to keep his own eyes dry. He had never before been able to empathize with another person so completely. Thomas recognized the pain in Andy’s voice because he had carried that same pain his entire life. “No one deserves to be alone, ‘specially not someone so kind as you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Barrow. That’s good of you to say,” said Andy with a watery smile.

“Please, call me Thomas. It sounds so strange to be called Mr. Barrow in here.” 

“Alright, Thomas. I admit, I did suspect you might be the same as me. It wasn’t something you did, or anything. Just some things the others have said about you.”

“What have they said, then?” Thomas was not foolish enough to believe that gossip about him didn’t circulate below stairs, but he still bristled at the notion.

“Not much. Just subtle things they probably thought I wasn’t worldly enough to pick up on.” 

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

“I also overhead some things about you and the other footman who used to work at Downton. I mean, it’s your business and you needn’t tell me if you don’t want, but I wondered if there was something between the two of you.”

Thomas took a deep breath and fiddled with the glove on his left hand. With all the chatter at Downton, it was only a matter of time before Andy heard something about the ordeal. An image of Jimmy, angry and shouting, rose unbidden to the fore of Thomas’s mind.

“It’s not something I like to talk about, but you should probably know anyway. I was very taken with Jimmy and someone we worked with manipulated me into believing that he returned my feelings. That led me to make a rather bold pass at him and the whole thing blew up in my face. I must’ve been out of my mind. That one mistake nearly cost me my livelihood, could’ve even ended up in prison. We worked it out and became friends in the end, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t leave scars.” 

“That must have hurt for him to reject you like that. When you cared about him so much,” said Andy. 

At the time of The Incident, Thomas had received some sympathy from the others for facing the loss of his job without reference, but this was the first time someone had acknowledged his devastation over Jimmy’s disgust and repudiation. Thomas felt his throat constrict and his eyes water; to conceal his reaction, he volunteered to buy another round. He made sure to compose himself before returning to their table.

After taking a sip of his beer, Andy asked, “Do you mind if I ask you another personal question?”

“By all means,” said Thomas. He usually loathed such candid conversation, but he found speaking so honestly about this hidden part of himself with Andy, someone who understood, to be extraordinarily cathartic.

“Do you go out to these kinds of places often?” asked Andy, staring down at the table.

On the surface, the question was a simple one, but Thomas knew better. What Andy really wanted to know was not just how often he frequented such illicit establishments, but how often those outings led to sexual encounters. He was curious where Thomas went to have sex with the men he picked up, if he stayed with them the whole night or less than an hour, if he knew their names or they knew his. If Thomas felt even lonelier afterwards than he had before.

“In my younger years, before the war, I’d go out to look for company occasionally. However, I’ve found that working in service comes with its own opportunities if you know your way about.” 

“You mean with upstairs guests and the like?” asked Andy, his shocked tone laced with a tinge of jealousy. “I’d never be brave enough to risk it.”

“I’ve had some close calls to be sure,” said Thomas, thinking of how he had utterly misread the desires of the Turk. “But there were good times as well. One London Season I was working at a party and I caught the eye of a duke. We carried on all summer, actually.”

“What happened?”

“The summer ended,” said Thomas, decidedly not elaborating on the heartbreak and disappointment that would later transpire. “Got himself hitched to an American heiress some years back. Read about it in the paper.”

After that, the two of them fell silent; Thomas could tell from the furrowing of Andy’s brow that he was working to digest their conversation, so Thomas left him to it. Thomas lit another cigarette, offering a second one to Andy who shook his head. After stowing his case safely inside his jacket, Thomas looked back up to see Andy’s face reddening. Thomas followed his line of sight to a nearby hallway where, partially obscured in shadow, two of the patrons stood kissing rather passionately. 

Once Andy became aware that Thomas had noticed him observing, Andy said, “Sorry, it’s just… I’ve never seen a man kiss another man before. I probably shouldn’t be watching something so private.” 

“It’s only natural that you’d want to, no need to be ashamed,” said Thomas, blowing smoke onto the table. “Not like it’s something you see every day. Part of the appeal in coming here.”

Thomas and Andy looked on as the two men withdrew from the corridor and made a quick exit from the club.

“Where will they go, do you think?” Andy wondered aloud.

“Hopefully one of them will have a room to go back to where they won’t be conspicuous. Otherwise they might make do with a dark alley somewhere nearby.”

“That sounds awful.”

Exhaling a lungful of smoke, Thomas hummed his agreement. He suppressed a shudder as he recalled the last time he had ventured out into the city in pursuit of a lover for the night. He’d been so desperate with pent up lust that he’d let a man take him roughly up against a grimy brick wall. Thomas could still remember smelling the stench of rubbish and cat piss as the man hammered into him, breath hot and sticky against the back of his neck. He’d remained facing the wall for some time after the man left, sated but hollow. It made his stomach turn to think of Andy being in that situation.

“You shouldn’t ever do anything you’re not comfortable with, Andy. It’s not worth it.”

“I would feel comfortable with you.”

Thomas’s head snapped up. He must not have heard Andy correctly. “You what?”

“I would feel comfortable, were I to go to bed with you,” said Andy, making a wavering sort of eye contact with Thomas. His confidence seemed to have slipped somewhat at having to repeat himself.

Taken aback, Thomas stammered, “I-I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Andy.”

“I mean, I’d understand if you’re not attracted to me. You can tell me, you won’t hurt my feelings,” said Andy in a rush, now staring down at his lap.

“That’s not it at all. Believe me, I find you very attractive,” said Thomas, growing unpleasantly hot. Andy blushed as well.

“Then why not? Is it because we work together?”

“Yes, there’s that, and…” said Thomas, pausing to consider his words, “I suppose it’s because I’m protective of you. I’d feel like I’m taking advantage and I don’t want to do anything to hurt you.”

“What makes you think you’d do something to hurt me? You’ve only ever been kind to me,” said Andy earnestly, eyes shining. “I’d not do anything to hurt you, either, Thomas. Lord knows you’ve had enough of people treating you poorly.”

Thomas felt his throat tighten. “It’s early yet. You could still go chat up one of those good-looking young lads at the bar. Don’t think you have to settle for a grouchy old man like me.”

Andy’s eyebrow’s shot up, his expression one of incredulity. “First off, you’re not that much older than me. Secondly, when I met you, I thought you were the most handsome man I’d ever seen. And I like being around you, ‘cause you’re smart and interesting and funny. Being with you isn’t settling, not to me.”

Thomas knew his lingering reservation must have shown on his face, because Andy said, “Listen, Thomas, I’m not asking you to marry me. I’m only asking for one night, but I’ll drop it if you truly don’t want to.”

“Alright, then,” said Thomas, surprising both himself and Andy with his decision. “Only if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

“Then let’s go home.”

With that, Andy followed Thomas out into the night.


	2. A Connection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to confess, I was a little afraid of posting this story as I have never written smut in my life. I considered just 'fading to black' when it came to it, but ultimately it felt inauthentic to the story I wanted to tell. I don't think the end result is anything too salacious, but I hope you enjoy!

Thomas scarcely remembered the journey back from Piccadilly; he and Andy had not said a word to one another and had walked quickly with their heads down. Once they reached the servants’ quarters, Thomas let them both into his room, sincerely hoping that Molesley was asleep in the room next door. As he shut the door with a soft creak, he registered the hard thud of his heartbeat in his throat. 

Thomas realized he was nervous; more nervous, in fact, than he usually was before sleeping with someone new. He recognized that it was partly because it had been such a long time since he had been intimate with anyone, let alone someone he’d been acquainted with for more than an hour or two. The last time he’d been completely naked in front of another person, he couldn’t even recall. He also had to admit that he was reluctant to risk Andy’s uncomplicated friendship. Thomas didn’t think he could bear it if things became awkward, or even cold, between the two of them after that night. 

His anxiety all but dissolved, however, when he turned to regard Andy. Kind, gentle Andy, who never had a mean word to say about anyone, who always had a smile ready if someone was feeling down. Andy, who had just hours ago confessed that he had never so much as kissed anyone before. Thomas felt absurd for thinking that Andy would judge him or laugh at him when he was likely far more nervous than Thomas. 

Indeed, Andy’s hands shook slightly as he shrugged off his jacket and draped it over a chair. Wordlessly, he extended a hand to take Thomas’s jacket. There was something in Andy’s gesture that sent a surge of heat straight to his groin. Thomas made sure their fingers brushed as he handed it to Andy, who then carefully laid it on top of his own.

Thomas took a few steps forward, coming to stand close enough to Andy to feel his warm breath caress his face. He lifted both of his hands to Andy’s shoulders, letting them slide down the length of his arms until he clasped Andy’s hands in his. 

“Are you certain this is what you want?” asked Thomas for the second time that night, not without some diffidence. 

“Yes,” said Andy. It was more of a breath than a word. Regaining his voice, Andy continued, “Are you sure that you want me? I haven’t the first clue what I’m doing.”

“Please don’t worry about that, it doesn’t matter. Just let me take care of you.”

Thomas closed the gap between their bodies and tilted his head to softly kiss the side of Andy’s neck; merely the feel of Andy’s heated skin was enough to make his pulse race. Once Thomas’s lips traveled to his jaw, Andy released a tremulous sigh and fisted his hand in Thomas’s waistcoat. Finally, he moved to capture Andy’s lips; the kisses were soft and tentative at first, but gradually the slide of their mouths became more impassioned. Thomas was pleased to note that Andy was a naturally good kisser, despite a few instances of teeth and noses knocking together. When Thomas slipped his tongue inside Andy’s mouth, Andy moaned low in his throat and his unmistakably hard length made contact with Thomas’s hipbone. Thomas’s trousers had also grown uncomfortably tight and he decided they were both wearing far too many clothes.

Reluctantly extracting his lips from Andy’s, Thomas took a few steps back and methodically began to undress. It gave him no small amount of excitement that Andy’s eyes followed his every movement intently. After Thomas was entirely bare from the waist up, he raised a hand to the top button of Andy’s waistcoat, pausing for Andy to give him the go ahead. When Andy nodded, Thomas unhurriedly went about divesting Andy of his waistcoat, tie, and shirt. 

Thomas had always found undressing his partners to be incredibly erotic. Despite the fact that much of his career involved taking off men’s clothing in a manner that was decidedly not seductive, in this context he relished the charged atmosphere of anticipation as each article of attire fell to the floor.

Andy’s undershirt finally came off and Thomas couldn’t help but stare. A light smattering of hair trailed across the defined planes of Andy’s chest and abdomen and disappeared beneath his trousers. Where Thomas had expected him to be more on the lanky side, he was all lean muscle and chiseled angles. To Thomas, he might have been carved from marble.

“What is it? I’m starting to get a little self-conscious with you looking at me like that,” laughed Andy defensively, arms folding around himself.

“I was only thinking,” said Thomas, peeling Andy’s arms away from his chest, “that you’re bloody gorgeous.”

The color in Andy’s cheeks rose considerably at Thomas’s compliment. Not quite able to conceal his shyness beneath his flirtatious tone, Andy responded, “Do you think that kind of flattery will work on me, Mr. Barrow?”

“You know what? I think it might,” said Thomas with a playful smile. 

He dipped his head to place a kiss on Andy’s sharp collarbone. Seemingly emboldened, Andy raked his hand over Thomas’s chest, fingers carding through the dark hair there, making Thomas inhale sharply when his thumb brushed over a nipple.

Thomas glanced down at Andy’s tented trousers and lust undulated in his stomach like ocean waves before a storm. He hooked a couple of fingers in Andy’s waistband.

“Please touch me,” said Andy with something akin to desperation. Thomas needed no more encouragement.

Deftly undoing Andy’s fly, Thomas reached a hand inside to grasp him. The sound Andy made at the contact was raw and unguarded. Thomas wished that he could listen to Andy moan all night, but he knew they had to be practical.

“Don’t forget we have to be quiet,” said Thomas regretfully. “Don’t want to disturb Molesley, do we?”

With Thomas’s hand still palming his cock, Andy bit out an apology and buried his head in Thomas’s shoulder to stifle his groans. Andy’s breath was wonderfully hot and wet on his skin.

“Stop!” Andy called out abruptly.

Thomas withdrew his hand as though burned. “Sorry,” he said automatically. He hated the way his underlying paranoia never left him.

“It’s okay. You were a little too good is all,” said Andy, taking some slow breaths. “I really want this to last longer than a few minutes.”

“Well, come on. We should at least make it to the bed,” said Thomas, tilting his head up slightly to capture Andy’s bottom lip between his teeth to give it a teasing tug. 

Andy groaned quietly, taking Thomas along with him as he backed up towards the bed. When his legs hit the mattress, he fell back upon it. Thomas, still upright, seized the chance to disrobe completely. Patience waning, he hastily kicked off his shoes and pulled down his trousers and underwear in one swift movement.

The view of Thomas’s fully nude figure seemed to have quite the effect on Andy. He gaped at Thomas with an expression of pure hunger, as though attempting to devour him with his eyes alone. Thomas watched Andy’s gaze travel from his chest down to his almost painfully swollen erection, then back up again until their eyes locked. Thomas thought he’d never been more aroused in his life; the sight of Andy with his pupils blown wide, panting through red, swollen lips, was nearly enough to make Thomas come off there and then.

“Your turn,” grunted Thomas, his voice rough to his own ears.

Andy managed to toe off his shoes before Thomas descended upon him, lifting his slim hips to tug down his pants. In another whirl of motion, Thomas straddled Andy, gasping at the rush of euphoria he experienced at pressing so much of their naked skin together. Their tongues joined in a fervid dance as their rigid members rubbed against one another with delicious friction. 

In his libidinous delirium, Thomas imagined all manner of wicked things he wished to do to the beautiful young man beneath him. Regrettably, neither he nor Andy possessed the stamina to engage in all of them that night, so he made himself settle on one before he was too far gone.

Fingers still buried in Andy’s curls, Thomas disengaged their lips to breathlessly instruct Andy to lie back on the narrow bed. Andy did so and Thomas moved to hover over him, gently cradling the side of Andy’s face in his hand. 

“There’s something I want to do for you,” said Thomas, stroking Andy’s cheek with his thumb. “I think you’ll like it.”

“I trust you,” said Andy. His big eyes glittered darkly in the low light.

Thomas kissed Andy on the lips once, long and slow, before he began his journey downwards, placing wet, openmouthed kisses on Andy’s chest and stomach as he went. Thomas moved to spread Andy’s legs apart so that he could settle between them. The taut muscles of Andy’s inner thighs trembled under the steadying caress of Thomas’s hands and he placed yet more kisses on the soft skin there, making Andy’s breath quicken. At long last, taking Andy’s heavy cock in hand, Thomas licked a broad stripe up its length before enveloping the head in his mouth.

Andy’s whole body quaked with the effort of suppressing a deep moan and he thoughtfully managed to smother most of the noise with a hand over his mouth. Thomas allowed himself to smirk slightly around Andy’s member; he’d always had a special talent for this particular act and Andy’s reaction to it did not disappoint. 

“Bloody… Christ,” moaned Andy, his hands scrabbling for purchase on the bedsheets.

Without pausing in his ministrations, Thomas gazed upwards to find Andy looking utterly debauched, his eyes shut tight with a light sheen of sweat beginning to break out along his forehead. Andy intermittently bit his bottom lip in an effort to keep from verbalizing his evident pleasure. Trying to alleviate some of his own steadily growing arousal, Thomas pressed himself against the mattress. 

Thomas slid his hand up Andy’s body to rest his palm at the top of his stomach, fingers fanned across the edge of his ribcage. He liked being able to feel the rhythm of Andy’s breathing, finding a sort of serenity in the steady rise and fall of his abdomen. Thomas was so focused on the sensation of Andy inside and around him, he could not have said if it was Andy’s pulse or his own that roared in his ears. The sound of it seemed to penetrate into every corner of the room.

It did not take long before Andy’s breathing grew erratic and shallow, his cock leaking drops of bitter fluid. Andy unclasped one of his hands from the sheets to grasp Thomas’s where it lay on his torso. Thomas knew he was close, so redoubled his efforts, bobbing his head more vigorously and taking him deeper. With the hollowing of his cheeks and the dragging of his tongue over a thick vein, Thomas wrung Andy’s orgasm from him.

He swallowed Andy’s emissions with as much grace as he could muster whilst simultaneously taking in Andy’s expression as he came. Andy’s mouth fell open in a choked off cry and he threw his head back against the pillow, exposing the elegantly arched column of his neck; Thomas thought he looked stunningly lovely. He waited for the contractions of Andy’s muscles to subside before he kissed his way back up, eventually pressing his lips against the corner of Andy’s slackened mouth.

“That was… I have no words,” said Andy with a lazy elated smile at Thomas. Andy let out the smallest of giggles and it made Thomas feel warm all over.

“What about you?” asked Andy, looking pointedly at Thomas’s still straining erection.

Trying to ignore the throbbing of his cock, Thomas responded, “There’s no need, I really don’t expect…”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Thomas,” said Andy, bringing Thomas’s face down until their foreheads met. “Besides, I want to touch you.”

Without awaiting a reply from Thomas, Andy daringly reached down to take his cock in hand, giving it a few exploratory strokes. Andy’s movements were clumsy at first, but as they grew more confident, the fire inside Thomas burned hotter. Despite Andy’s touch lacking an expert’s finesse, the firm squeeze of his long fingers around Thomas’s length was bliss. He had already become so stimulated from using his mouth on Andy that he knew he wouldn’t last long.

“Oh God, I’m gonna…” Thomas exhaled in a rush, thrusting into Andy’s grip as he spent himself spectacularly. Their panting breaths intermingled as Thomas rode out the last ripples of pleasure coursing through his body.

“Beautiful,” Andy whispered so softly, Thomas wondered if he had simply imagined it. 

They kissed languidly until Thomas became increasingly aware of the sticky mess between them. Feeling altogether exhausted and boneless, he forced himself to make the journey to the washbasin. 

After cleaning them both up, Thomas slid into bed beside Andy, who turned to lay his head against Thomas’s chest. Pleasantly surprised by Andy’s casual show of affection, Thomas pressed his lips into Andy’s curls and wound an arm around him to hold him closer. He was also quite astonished to realize that he was not craving a cigarette.

Tracing nondescript patterns on Thomas’s chest, Andy said, “I should probably get back to my room before I fall asleep.”

Unanticipated emotion flooded Thomas’s chest at Andy’s words. The sensation of Andy’s warm, solid presence in his arms was so exquisite that he was loath to give it up so soon. He felt as though the night he had spent in Andy’s company had gone some way to filling the lonely void within him. Now that their evening was coming to an end, he was inundated with irrational panic, thinking anxiously that if Andy left his bed with no intention of ever returning to it, that chasm would be torn wide open again, raw and gaping. 

He thought back on what Andy had said to him during their conversation at the club. When Andy had courageously propositioned him, he had only asked Thomas for one night. But hadn’t Andy also confessed that he didn’t want to resign himself to a life of loneliness? Andy had spoken very plainly about his feelings regarding Thomas, that being with him was not settling. Why, then, was Thomas so afraid of telling Andy he felt the same way? 

After all the disappointment and heartache that life had relentlessly thrown at him, he supposed he was wary of life now gifting him with what he desired most when he had all but given up on finding it. But it was not in Thomas’s nature to shy away from taking risks and he decided that now was not the time to start playing it safe. 

It was imperative for Thomas to make Andy understand that they could have more than one night, that Thomas could be that someone for Andy to share his life with, if Andy wanted him. There were so many things he wished to vocalize, all of them thrashing about in his mind, competing with one another to pass his lips.

However, as Andy stirred and made to rise, all Thomas could say was, “I don’t want you to leave.”

Andy, propped up on one elbow, hovered over Thomas and looked at him appraisingly. “I don’t want to go,” he said, adding carefully, “but I don’t want to assume I’m welcome either.”

“You’ll always be welcome,” said Thomas.

In response, Andy smiled at him with such joy and tenderness that all of Thomas’s persisting doubts dissipated. Thomas pulled Andy into a kiss, and through it, he tried to convey to Andy how much he wanted him.

After promptly replacing his head on Thomas’s chest, Andy said, “Alright, I’ll stay, but you’d best set the alarm early enough for me to be back in my room before the others wake up.”

While keeping one arm curled around Andy, Thomas used the other to set the clock and turn off the lamp on his bedside table. They lay there together in the dark, Thomas growing drowsy under Andy’s comforting weight.

“Thomas, are you still awake?”

“Mm.”

“I was just wondering… If we hadn’t run into each other tonight, do you think anything would have ever happened between us?”

“Hmm… Perhaps eventually, but it might have been a rather long while before either of us worked up the nerve,” said Thomas, pondering Andy’s question. “I suppose you might call it serendipity.”

“What’s that when it’s at home?”

“It’s when something happens by chance and it leads to something wonderful. A happy accident.”

“Ah, so you’re one of those.”

“What?”

“A romantic,” said Andy, shifting to kiss Thomas’s neck. Thomas could feel the curve of a grin on his lips.

“Goodnight, Andy.”

“Goodnight, Thomas.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is a short "morning after" epilogue and I should have it up tomorrow!


	3. Epilogue

When Thomas arrived at the table for breakfast the next morning, he was in an altogether marvelous mood, but was determined not to let it show too much. It wouldn’t do to alarm his coworkers, after all.

Andy came in soon after and they greeted each other reservedly while Andy took a seat beside Thomas. He smiled slightly to himself, recalling two hours earlier when his eyes had followed Andy’s naked bum around his room as the young man had hunted for his strewn clothes. Andy had even stopped to give Thomas a sweetly lingering kiss before sneaking down the hall, which had further buoyed Thomas’s already high spirits.

Baxter caught Thomas’s eye from across the table as he buttered a piece of toast. “You look well rested this morning, Mr. Barrow. Did you sleep well?” she asked.

“Yes, very well, thank you,” said Thomas, subtly bumping his knee against Andy’s. “Did you have a nice time with Mr. Molesley at the pictures?”

“Oh yes, we had a lovely time, didn’t we?” said Baxter, grinning at Molesley who shyly stuttered his agreement. “What about you, Andy? You said you’d had plans for an evening out.”

“Uh, yeah, I did,” said Andy, his ears taking on a crimson glow. 

Daisy, who was walking around ladling porridge, gleefully took note of Andy’s awkward demeanor. “Ooh, look at him blush! Were you out with your sweetheart last night, Andy? Who is she?” 

Andy, appearing momentarily stricken, recovered swiftly. “A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell, Daisy.”

Naturally, Andy’s reply drew the curious gaze of nearly everyone at the table. Caught off guard, Thomas attempted to hide his less than impassive expression behind his cup of tea, but only managed to start choking when he swallowed too much. He coughed loudly and Andy thumped him on the back a few times.

“Are you alright, Mr. Barrow?” asked Andy. His tone was one of concern, but Thomas identified a prominent trace of amusement in it as well.

“Fine, thanks,” muttered Thomas. He glanced up just in time to see Baxter look between himself and Andy with a vaguely shrewd expression. Thomas hoped to put that particular conversation off for another day, but he trusted Baxter to keep her silence in the meantime.

The others gradually returned to their breakfasts once they realized that Andy did not intend to say any more regarding his new “sweetheart.” Thomas was relieved, because although he was in possession of a superior poker face, he did not particularly care to test its limits so early in the morning.

Once the chatter grew back up around them, Andy whispered an almost imperceptible apology to him. Thomas wanted to tell Andy that he had nothing to be sorry for, that he was actually filled with terrible regret that it had to be like this. After connecting with Andy in such a refreshingly honest way, it somehow felt like a betrayal to publicly pretend as if nothing precious had been shared between them. It was, however, undeniably necessary that their relationship remain in the shadows.

Beneath the table, Thomas placed his gloved hand on Andy’s thigh and gave it a light squeeze to show that there was no harm done. Before he could remove it, Andy covered Thomas’s hand with his own, using his thumb to rub soothing circles into the worn leather. 

The joy that Thomas experienced in Andy’s simple touch was boundless and he could only let go of the bitterness of his previous thoughts. He was so tired of that bitterness. He had spent years wilting beneath the oppression of his own resentment, alienation, and loneliness. Thomas hoped that now, perhaps, Andy could be the one to lift him out of it.

The touch was brief and they were forced to withdraw their hands when Molesley asked Andy to pass the strawberry preserves. Thomas instantly missed the warmth, but the loss didn’t sadden him. He knew there would be more.

Chairs scraped and dishes rattled as the servants finished eating and prepared to commence with the day’s work. Thomas turned to make his way up to Lord Grantham, but he was held back with a hand on his arm.

“You having a smoke before lunch?” asked Andy.

“Almost certainly,” replied Thomas.

“I’ll meet you in the courtyard later then?” Andy’s smile was just as easy as it had always been, but his eyes were softer now when he looked at Thomas.

“I’d love that.”

And as Thomas ascended the stairs with a much lighter step than the day before, he thought that he might yet know what it was to be happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for reading this, especially those who took time to leave kudos and comments! They are very much appreciated :) For those who are interested, I plan to continue this story with a series of one-shots and maybe some multi-chaptered fics as well, so be on the lookout. Hope you all enjoyed it!


End file.
